That’s right, Leno brings the billigerent bad-ass to the verge of tears. After Sunday night’s outburst at the VMA’s, Kanye West appeared on the season premiere of Jay Leno’s new show to answer for his behavior.

During Kanye’s apology for his disrespectful rant, his voice quivered, eyes filled with water and he hung his head. Leno invoked the rapper’s deceased mother, asking Kanye what his mother would have thought about his actions. After a long, awkward pause, West said this:

“So many celebrities, they never take the time off. I’ve never taken the time off to really — you know, just music after music and tour after tour. I’m just ashamed that my hurt caused someone else’s hurt. My dream of what awards shows are supposed to be, ’cause, and I don’t try to justify it because I was just in the wrong. That’s period. But I need to, after this, take some time off and just analyze how I’m going to make it through the rest of this life, how I’m going to improve.”

Translation:  I did it because I never take any time off (and that is Taylor Swift’s fault). I was wrong and now I will be going into hiding until this all blows over.

In case you missed West’s drunken rant during Taylor Swift’s acceptance speech, here you go.